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Early onset pre-eclampsia diagnosis - any advice?

Once again I turn to the knowledgeable ladies (and gents) of FZ!
I went for my routine 24 week community midwife appointment yesterday and watched in despair as my midwife went a ghastly shade of white when she dipped my pee and saw protein then did my blood pressure (3 times!) and it was 160/100.
She sent me straight to hospital, not the local one, but the big one, only allowing me via home to pick up an overnight bag and to drop my car off.
Upon further investigation at the hospital, it turns out my headaches for the past 3 weeks aren't hormone related, that the flashing lights and floaters in my vision are not a migraine and that the reason baby Jacob has not been moving quite as much is because my high blood pressure is starving my placenta.
I have only been allowed home because they were so full on the antenatal wards and because my mum has promised to spoil me rotten and ensured the docs I will be sat on my bottom permanently.
I have been told I'm not allowed to go back to work and have been told that more than likely I won't get to full term. The docs are now hoping that I can rest enough to allow Jacob to get to 30 weeks, though they have warned me that if they can't control my blood pressure then they will bring him any time, regardless of consequences.

What I'm wanting to know is has anyone else heard of such an early pre-eclampsia diagnosis? Is there anything else I can do apart from complete rest to help? Will the damage have already been done if I've had such high blood pressure for at least 3 weeks?

I'm so sorry you have this big worry hun. Pre-eclampsia does usually strike a bit later in pregnancy but it's not unheard of to occur this early. Unfortunately, the only thing you can really do is complete rest. Every day you can hold on to little Jacob will count so if you can have your mum waiting on you hand and foot then that's what you need to do. I know it's so boring and you probably feel ok in yourself but def listen to the docs on this one. I'm no expert but i'm pretty sure bubba will be absolutely fine in there, pre-eclampsia can mean bubba is slightly on the small side but as soon as he's born he can start to make up for it. If you think about it 3 weeks isn't really that long, we all go for quite long periods without any m/w appointments in the earlier part of pregnancy so in a way you've been lucky to get it picked up now.

Sorry I can't write loads but I'm at work. However, I've had pre-eclampsia twice, the first time earlier than the 2nd and my DD1 was born at 32 weeks.

First thing is that if they were super worried you wouldn't have been allowed to go home, no matter how busy they were. I was tranferred 100 miles away - they would have found you a bed somewhere if they weren't sure it was safe for you and your baby to go home.

Secondly, and really importantly, you are now known to them, and you're in the system. Am assuming that they have a care plan for you, and that you'll be regularly monitored? If not, speak to your midwife and ask why. Are you dipping your wee every day? Ask for pee sticks if you haven't been given any as it's useful to keep an eye on it. I was told that when my protein was 2+ I had to phone then had to go in when it was 3+.

Meds can control your BP really well - I was on them for several weeks (I think about 5/6 weeks) before things started to go wrong and I was admitted at 30 and a bit weeks. Even then, with some tweaking of the meds I lasted another 9 days.

Every day your baby is inside you he's growing stronger so they will try and keep you going for as long as possible. And I expect you'll be given steroid injections within the next few weeks and that will help his lungs if he's born early.

Look at the this website (not endorsed by FZ) - PE support day. - its full of support, advice and other ladies in the same situation or who have been through something similar.

The main things are to be monitored appropriately and to be aware of not feeling great so that if you think you need to be seen, then you know who/when/where to call.

Have a look at the website but if I can answer any queries, then please let me know.

x

My family is complete...I am grateful every day

DD1, natural miracle, 2005
DD2, IVF miracle, 2008

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Pootle" (Jul 20th 2011, 8:48pm)

Did they not start you on antibypertensives??
They can't have been that worried if they sent you home. Here we normally treat people with a beta blocker or nifedipine to get the blood pressure down snd monitor the babies growth. Aiming to get you as far along as poss. I had. Patient last year who had pre eclampsia at 26 weeks. We got her to 29 weeks and then they delivered. And both did just fine!!
You will prob gets bloods done fairly regularly to check your liver and full blood count and hopefully all will be ok. At least to get you a bit further along!!